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He didn’t move either, except for his dark blue eyes, which blinked, then widened. “Sarah.”
The way he said it, so deep and raspy…so familiar…sent her stomach on a nosedive to her feet and back. “Hi, Gregory.”
Gregory could not believe he was face to face with Sarah Radcliffe. He’d done well to avoid her through the years on her rare trips home.
And now he’d practically run into her. The closest they’d been in a decade.
“Are you in town for the holidays?” he asked.
“We, uh…yes, school got out earlier than usual this year. So I decided to do Christmas here instead of in Nashville.” She gestured to the sanctuary, her hands all fluttery like a nervous bird. “And now Donna Rae has asked me to take over as director of the pageant.”
He studied her for a couple of seconds, stunned by the news, yet trying to hold his stiff smile in place. “Oh. That’s…nice.”
He tried his best not to stare. To act as if it were no big deal to see her again. But he couldn’t help it. Beyond all reason, she was even more beautiful at thirty-two than she’d been as a teenager. Her hair was still long and blond, her eyes that warm, light brown. He had once thought they seemed to have light behind them.
He used to wonder if God gave her that glow. Used to resent it at the same time he wanted it.
But now, the light wasn’t there. She seemed…sad.
“Gregory, what are you doing back so soon?” Donna Rae asked as she lumbered up the aisle.
He slowly dragged his attention to Donna Rae. “I’m actually here to beg you for a favor.” He held up two car booster seats, one in each hand. “Can you take the boys to my dad’s house after rehearsal? I just got a call to meet a potential client and won’t be back in time.”
“Sure. Just put the seats in my car for me.”
“Thanks. I owe you one.” He scanned the room for his boys. Chase was fine, playing with friends. But Hunter sat alone. It killed him to see his son so unhappy.
Donna Rae shooed him out. “Go ahead. We’ll take care of him.”
He glanced at Sarah, then nodded, his mind racing.
Sarah Radcliffe. Here in Magnolia.
Directing the Christmas play.
Unbelievable.
As he installed the booster seats and then drove to his meeting, he tried not to think about her or the sadness clinging to her.
They’d had such a roller-coaster past. He’d been crazy about her from the moment he laid eyes on her. He’d had big plans, including marriage. But then she’d dumped him—because her judgmental parents had thought he wasn’t good enough for their little princess.
She had no idea what that rejection had done to him.
And then there had been all that stuff with her dad. Gregory still prayed no one would find out about it.
But he couldn’t dwell on it. He had work to do. He padlocked all thoughts of Sarah. Relegated them to the painful past. The better-left-unopened past.
Before Sarah could fully comprehend that Gregory had been there, he was gone, leaving a vacuum that wanted to suck her out the door after him.
But then, it had always been like that between them. He was every bit as gorgeous today as he had been the first day of her sophomore year in high school, the day he, a senior, first noticed her and leaned against her locker to talk. Blue eyes twinkling. Turning on that bad boy charm. He’d been like some kind of powerful magnet, and she hadn’t stood a chance.
But she’d grown up. At thirty-two, she was a far cry from that starry-eyed teenager. She was much wiser, with lots of experience under her belt. No way would she fall for his charm again. Besides, he didn’t look quite so confident now that he had responsibilities—a business to run and children to care for. “So does Gregory still have his landscaping business?” she asked Donna Rae.
She nodded. “Yeah. But I just hate all the hours he works.”
“I imagine it’s slowing some for the winter.”
“You’d think it would. But he seems to always be full throttle no matter the season. And with this being his first Christmas to do everything without Lindsay, he’s putting pressure on himself to make it the best Christmas ever.”
Sarah could see the worry on Donna Rae’s face, could hear it in her voice. As she looked across the sanctuary at Hunter, sitting by himself on a pew, she wondered how Gregory would be able to do it all. And wondered what kind of man he’d grown up to be.
She couldn’t shake thoughts of him as Donna Rae gathered the children and led them through the rehearsal. Distracted and scattered, Sarah started when Donna Rae introduced her as the new director.
The precious four-to-six-year-olds stared up at her expectantly. A few even clapped, so she waved to them. “Thank you. I used to be in the Christmas play when I was a child, so I know we’re going to have a good time together.”
Donna Rae sat down, and Sarah could see she was in pain. Donna Rae waved her away when she tried to help. “I’m fine. Just a contraction. Go ahead and hand out the schedule.”
All eyes were on Sarah. It was the first time she’d been around children since Peter’s funeral, and she found it difficult to go on. But she had to. Too late to back out now.
When she finished passing out the papers, she said, “Well, I see some parents gathering in the back. So I guess it’s time to go. I’ll see you at the next practice.”
Though it demanded more energy than Sarah had at the moment, she made a point to meet each parent. As stragglers arrived late to pick up their children, she kept a close watch on Donna Rae. “Do you want me to call the doctor?”
“No. Really, I’m fine. But I probably need to go on home and put my feet up. Make Vinny pamper me.” She smiled, but it was tinged with worry.
“Go.”
“Can you take Hunter and Chase to Harry’s house for me?”
Gregory’s father wouldn’t hold any fond memories of Sarah. She dreaded facing him. “Of course. I’ll walk you to your car and get their seats.” She knelt in front of Hunter and Chase. “I’m Miss Sarah, and I’m going to give you a ride to your granddad’s.”
“Let’s go, boys,” Donna Rae said as they turned off the lights and headed out the door.
Hunter followed obediently, but he didn’t appear happy. Sarah couldn’t help but wonder if he was angry about something. In contrast, Chase slipped his little hand into Sarah’s and looked up, his sweet cherub face all smiles. He chattered a mile a minute, with a lisp that seemed to be caused by his chubby cheeks, as they walked to her car and installed the seats.
When she and the boys arrived at the Jones house, Chase raced ahead. Sarah, even weighed down by the car seats, had to slow to wait for Hunter, who dragged his feet as if they were in blocks of cement.
She kind of felt the same way having to face Harry Jones.
Two hours ago, she couldn’t have imagined this turn of events even in her wildest dreams.
“Hunter, do you think you could carry your booster seat for me?”
He nodded, then he wrapped his arms around it and picked up the pace a little.
“So, it must be fun to get to stay with your grandfather,” she said.
He shrugged. “I guess so.”
“You don’t sound excited about it.”
Hunter shook his head. “I wish Dad could pick us up.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Huwwy up,” Chase called from the front door before he disappeared inside.
A few seconds later, Harry appeared on the front porch. But he jerked back a step when he saw her. “Sarah?”
She tensed and forced her leaded feet forward. “Hello, Mr. Jones. I’m helping Donna Rae with the pageant, and she wasn’t feeling well. She asked me to bring Hunter and Chase by.”
“I appreciate it.” He didn’t look too thrilled, but he was the consummate Southern gentleman.
Not only had her parents objected to Gregory and her dating in high school, but Harry had also discouraged it. He had told Gregory from the beginning not to fall for Sarah, that he would be setting himself up to get hurt.
The relationship hadn’t stood a chance.
“Well, I should go.” She handed Chase’s seat over, then squatted down to Hunter’s eye level. “I’ll see you at the next rehearsal, okay?”
He shuffled his feet. “I guess.”
Chase ran out the door and hugged her neck. “’Bye.”
“’Bye.” The pressure in her chest sent her quickly toward her car. She needed to back off a little. Getting involved with Gregory’s kids was not a good idea. Her heart couldn’t take it.
After dropping the boys off, Sarah walked into her parents’ home. She could almost still feel Chase’s tiny arms around her neck from where he’d hugged her goodbye—a gesture so sweet it was almost painful.
Harry had been polite, if a bit cool. But she couldn’t blame a protective father.
“I’m home,” she called, then located her mother and father in the family room, sitting by the fireplace reading. Even with the fire, the room had never felt warm to her. The huge old house had always seemed drafty and a little empty.
“That took a while. What did Donna Rae need?” her mom asked.
She plunked down in an oversized leather chair, her favorite spot to curl up and read whenever she came home. “She’s had a complication with her pregnancy and will probably be put on bed rest.”
“I hope the baby’s okay,” her dad said.
“Yes. But she recruited me to take over the Christmas pageant.”
Her mother put her book face down on her lap and appeared distressed. “Oh, sweetie, can you handle that right now, so soon after Peter’s death?”
As long as she remained strong where Gregory’s boys were concerned. “I’m going to give it a try.”
“Well, I think it’ll be good for you.” Her dad folded the newspaper. “It’ll get you out of the house. Take your mind off the boy. You need to get over him.”
As if she could just snap her fingers and be all better. “There’s a little boy at church who reminds me of Peter.” She steeled herself. Her parents wouldn’t want her near anyone connected to Gregory.
“Who?” her mother asked.
“Hunter Jones.”
As expected, her dad scowled. “You don’t need to be around that man or his family. Call Donna Rae and decline.”
“Winston, she’s already agreed to help,” Katherine said. Then she turned back to Sarah. “Just be careful, dear. Gregory always did seem to hold some special power over you, and you’re still so vulnerable.”
Sarah looked at her dad. “That was years ago. We’ve both moved on. It sounds like he’s been very busy. I guess his business has been doing well?”
He rose, set the paper aside with a slap. “I don’t keep tabs on Gregory Jones.” He walked out of the room.
She looked at her mom with a raised brow.
“There’s no love lost between the two of them.”
“Dad never has forgiven him for hurting me.”
Katherine stood and patted Sarah’s cheek. “Neither of us could ever stand to see you in pain. So be careful.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Well, keep your distance. Simply put the play together, and then back away. You’ll be back in Nashville soon enough.”
Yes, Sarah decided. She could do that. She could direct the pageant and return to her normal life. But she doubted the look on Hunter’s face would ever leave her.
Chapter Two
A t nine o’clock that night, Gregory headed toward home. He parked in his driveway, then made his way across the street to his dad’s. He slipped quietly into the house.
His father was snoozing in the recliner with the television turned down low. Gregory touched his shoulder. “Dad. I’m here.”
Harry jumped. Then he rubbed his hand over his face, brushing against whiskers. “Chase cried for his Aunt Lindsay again tonight. And then for you right before he fell asleep.”
“I’m sorry to put you through that again.”
“You need to be home at night, son. No need to work yourself to death.”
“I don’t want to miss out on a potential new customer. I’m trying my best to keep my seasonal workers busy through the winter. Or at least through Christmas.” And he needed to grow his business to be able to buy a bigger house before the boys were grown and walking all over each other. And so each could have his own bedroom.
And then there was the fact that he wanted to provide a perfect Christmas so maybe Hunter and Chase wouldn’t be so upset by Lindsay’s absence this year. “It’s just hard right now because they still miss Lindsay. They’ll adjust.”
“You know, son, it’s past time to move on and start dating. Molly Patton seems to be interested, and those boys need a mother.”
“Dad…”
He waved and headed toward his room. “Think about it.”
Gregory slipped into his old bedroom and found Hunter and Chase huddled in the bed, Hunter on his side in the fetal position, Chase plastered up against Hunter’s back as if he’d snuggled there for comfort.
That certainly didn’t help with the guilt.
